Kendrick Lamar Explains Kanye West’s “Rants”

While on the Yeezus Tour with Kanye West last year, Kendrick Lamar says he learned several lessons from the Chicago rapper-producer.

“Kanye taught me to never to downplay your ideas,” Kendrick Lamar says during an interview with hollywoodreporter.com. “I learned to always stay as creative as possible and never have any boundaries. Those things that people called ‘rants’ on-stage are real conversations that we had behind closed doors — about business and how when you get to a certain level people won’t want to see you break through because they only see you as a rapper.”

Although Kendrick Lamar realizes his personal preferences may not be in line with what is deemed popular in Rap, he says he must remain true to himself.

“I’m most comfortable when I’m Plain Jane in my Nike Cortez and my white tees,” the Compton-raised 26-year-old says. “That’s who I am and the era I came from. I always have to remind myself of that. I thought I wanted jewelry and cars, but as soon as I got a taste, I realized it wasn’t fulfillment. A thrill is being as creative as possible and supporting the people I love.”

Kendrick Lamar hopes to retain his creativity as he works on the follow-up to his Grammy-nominated major label debut album, 2012’s good kid, m.A.A.d city.

“I’m still seeing what I feel like,” Kendrick Lamar says of his next album. “When I really catch it, I’ll be out there with it.”